The term "lavage" has been used in the literature in a somewhat ambiguous manner. Sometimes, the term is used to refer to the washing of tissue using a pulsating stream of fluid. The term also is used to describe aspiration of tissue. As used herein, the term "lavage" is used in its broadest sense, and is intended to refer to any one of, or combinations of, irrigation, pulsatile lavage, and aspiration of tissue. As used herein, lavage can be accomplished with a stream of fluid at a relatively low pressure.
A number of systems for performing lavage are available, most of which are mechanized. Some of the available systems theoretically may be used to perform medical procedures which require a fluid stream delivered at higher pressures; however, the pressure setting mechanism of most of the available lavage systems cannot be set beyond approximately 0-150 mm Hg. Much higher pressures, e.g., 0-1500 mm Hg, are required to perform high pressure procedures such as hydrodissection.
Of course, one could design a lavage system in which the pump could be set to deliver fluid at higher pressures; however, many already have purchased lavage systems which cannot be set at such high pressures. Therefore, an inexpensive but effective means for adapting relatively low pressure lavage systems so that they can produce high pressure fluid streams for medical procedures would be desirable.